Troops of 12 Brigade rescue 17 kidnap victims in Kogi

In a determined push to stamp out banditry and other crimes in Kogi State, soldiers from the Nigerian Army’s 12 Brigade working alongside Hybrid Forces and local vigilantes have rescued 17 kidnapped passengers, comprising 13 adults and 4 children.

According to a military statement, the rescue took place on 10 September 2025 after troops at the Apata Patrol Base received credible intelligence about an abduction near Opamaru Village along the Obajana–Lokoja highway. The victims were travelling from Osun State to Abuja in a 17-seater bus when armed men intercepted them.

Reacting swiftly, the patrol team, reinforced by the Brigade’s Quick Response Group (QRG), raced to the location and found the empty bus abandoned at the roadside. Using field-tracking techniques, soldiers followed the kidnappers’ footprints to Wuro Village in Adavi Local Government Area, where they confronted the gang.

Faced with overwhelming firepower, the abductors fled into the surrounding forest with gunshot wounds, leaving all 17 captives unharmed. The freed passengers were taken to the 12 Brigade Medical Centre for first aid and stabilization.

The Nigerian Army reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property, urging residents to provide timely information that can aid ongoing operations against criminals in the region.